ELCA Membership Reported Just Over 5 Million in 2002
CHICAGO (ELCA) -- The Evangelical Lutheran Church in America (ELCA) reported a total of 5,038,006 baptized members in 10,721 congregations at the end of 2002, according to the Rev. Lowell G. Almen, secretary of the ELCA. That figure represents a decrease of 1.21 percent or a reduction of 61,871 baptized...
Youth Quarters Project Supports Hunger Relief
CHICAGO (ELCA) -- Participants at the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America (ELCA) Youth Gathering in Atlanta July 16-20 and July 23-27 collected $667,000 for world hunger relief in a "Quarters for Hunger" project. More than 40,000 high-school age and adult Lutherans attended the Gathering in Atlanta. The Gathering is held...
Committee Recommends ELCA Assembly Discuss Eight Topics
CHICAGO (ELCA) -- The Churchwide Assembly of the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America (ELCA) will act on 76 memorials -- resolutions sent from the church's 65 synods. The assembly's memorials committee met here in June, organizing the resolutions into 40 categories and drafting recommendations to the assembly on how to...
ELCA Survey Shows Need For Development, Evangelism
CHICAGO (ELCA) -- First Call Theological Education is an ongoing Evangelical Lutheran Church in America (ELCA) program designed to assist new ELCA pastors and non-ordained lay leaders during their first three years of a call to ministry. Program participants recently evaluated the program by answering a variety of questions. A...
ELCA Youth Impress Residents With Their Work Ethic
ATLANTA (ELCA) -- Thousands of high-school-age and adult Lutherans spent several afternoons here cleaning parks and neighborhoods, impressing some residents with their enthusiasm and work ethic. The young people were in town for the 2003 Youth Gathering of the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America (ELCA). The gathering met July 16-20...
Lutherans Address Variety Of Concerns In Later Synod Assemblies
CHICAGO (ELCA) -- Voting members of the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America (ELCA) addressed a variety of local, national and international concerns through actions at synod assemblies. Synod assemblies began April 25 and concluded June 28 of this year. Actions that occurred at assemblies held since mid-June included: + Health...
ELCA Presiding Bishop Elected LWF President
WINNIPEG, Canada (ELCA) -- The Rev. Mark S. Hanson, presiding bishop of the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America (ELCA), was elected president of the Lutheran World Federation (LWF) July 26. He was elected on the first ballot, receiving 267 votes to 111 votes for the only other nominee, the Rev....
ELCA Youth Discuss Topics Important To Them
ATLANTA (ELCA) -- Human sexuality and ethnic diversity were among a variety of topics addressed by some 255 high-school-age Lutherans at the Sixth Triennial Convention of the Lutheran Youth Organization (LYO) here July 20-23 at Georgia Institute of Technology. The LYO is the youth organization of the Evangelical Lutheran Church...
ELCA Youth Hear About Courage, Selflessness
ATLANTA (ELCA) -- The Rev. Alise D. Barrymore spoke to 23,000 Lutheran youth and adults Saturday during the final evening program at the first week of the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America (ELCA) Youth Gathering here. The ELCA Youth Gathering is meeting here at the Georgia Dome and Georgia World...
Thousands of Lutheran Youth Gather for Prayer
ATLANTA (ELCA) -- The first event of the 2003 Evangelical Lutheran Church in America (ELCA) Youth Gathering came to a close when 23,000 high-school-age and adult Lutherans from across the country and around the world gathered for prayer here July 20 at the Georgia Dome. The Rev. Mark S. Hanson,...
Lutheran Adults Learn About Youth Leadership
ATLANTA (ELCA) -- Members of the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America interested in youth ministry participated in workshops about youth leadership and other aspects of youth ministry during the ELCA Youth Gathering here The ELCA Youth Gathering is meeting here at the Georgia Dome and Georgia World Congress Center in...
ELCA Youth Told "Ubuntu" Must Be Made Real
ATLANTA (ELCA) -- Participants attending the 2003 Evangelical Lutheran Church in America (ELCA) Youth Gathering must do what they can to serve others and share their wealth, said the Rev. Barbara K. Lundblad, Bible study leader for the Gathering. She urged the participants to make real the theme of the...
ELCA Youth Trot Around 'The Globe'
ATLANTA (ELCA) -- High-school-age Lutherans from across the country and around the world are trotting around "The Globe" at the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America (ELCA) Youth Gathering here. The Gathering is meeting July 16-20 and July 23-27 at the Georgia Dome and Georgia World Congress Center. The two events...
ELCA Youth Learn That Life Is A Gift
ATLANTA (ELCA) -- "The question I would like for us to consider, one that seldom gets the attention it deserves, pertains to the nature of our belly buttons. Are you an in-ee or an out-ee?," the Rev. David J. Vasquez, campus pastor, Luther College, Decorah, Iowa, asked 23,000 high-school-age and...
Lutheran Youth Provide Services In Atlanta
ATLANTA (ELCA) -- All over town high-school-age and adult Lutherans took part in service events July 17-19, a component of the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America (ELCA) Youth Gathering. The ELCA Youth Gathering is meeting here at the Georgia Dome and Georgia World Congress Center in two back-to-back events: July...
Youth Learn About Apartheid, South Africa
ATLANTA (ELCA) -- High-school-age youth and adult Lutherans at the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America (ELCA) Youth Gathering can learn about South Africa through a workshop called "The Real Story" at the Georgia World Congress Center and the Georgia Dome here. There are several workshops on a variety of topics...
ELCA Youth Meet ELCA Bishops At Gathering
ATLANTA (ELCA) -- Teenagers and bishops of the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America (ELCA) met together in small groups here to discuss a variety of spiritual, social and church issues. Their session called, "Get It Off Your Chest," is part of the Learning Village here at the ELCA Youth Gathering....
Lutheran Youth Gather In Atlanta To 'Do Life'
ATLANTA (ELCA) -- "You have literally come from all over the world to do 'ubuntu,' to do life," said the Rev. Mark S. Hanson, presiding bishop of the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America (ELCA) during the opening ceremony of the ELCA Youth Gathering "Do life! Ubuntu," July 16 at the...
DAYLE Spotlights Definitely Abled Youth in Atlanta
ATLANTA (ELCA) -- About 40 participants, parents, caregivers, volunteers and staff gathered to celebrate the talents and abilities of youth with disabilities at the Omni Hotel here July 13-16. The Definitely Abled Youth Leadership Event (DAYLE) preceded the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America (ELCA) Youth Gathering. The 11 participants, all...
MYLE Focuses on Young People of Color
ATLANTA (ELCA) -- More than 750 high-school age Lutherans of color and or whose primary language is other than English gathered July 13-16 here at the Sheraton Hotel for worship, speakers, music, fellowship and fun. Under the theme, Bathed in His Image: Washing Away MYLES of Hate, young people gathered...
